Northern Canada by EV: Yellowknife to Edmonton Trip Report

When it comes to an electric vehicle road trip in Canada, few routes are as rewarding—or as challenging—as driving Northern Canada by EV.

My round trip from Edmonton to Yellowknife and back in a Tesla Model Y was packed with breathtaking scenery, wildlife (and wild fires), remote charging challenges, and unforgettable memories.

In this post, I’ll dive into my Yellowknife to Edmonton EV road trip, covering charging stops, range anxiety, and how to make the most of your northern adventure.

This is the return leg of my journey. If you’re heading from Edmonton to Yellowknife, check out my detailed post here.

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Leg One: Yellowknife to Lady Evelyn Falls (Approx. 366km)

Leaving Yellowknife after a few days of recharging (both the car and myself), I took full advantage of the free EV charging at Yellowknife City Hall, departing with around 85%.

This was more than enough to get me to Lady Evelyn Falls, my first stop. Since the charger in Enterprise is still offline, I opted to stay and camp, using a 30A plug to charge overnight.

I still drove conservatively to preserve range, especially with limited fast charging along the way.

After saying goodbye to my fantastic Yellowknife Airbnb, I had a final coffee with my brother and a heartfelt goodbye, and I hit the road south. I decided to swing by the Flo fast charger in Behchokǫ̀ to top up.

I wasn’t sure if my dual 30-amp splitter was going to work (more on that later), so I wanted as much charge as possible for when I arrived to allow me to leave early the next day. That ended up being a great call. Even though it was a detour, the peace of mind was worth it.

This leg lacked the drama of the drive north—no road closures or wildfires—but I was treated to plenty of bison sightings. I stopped counting after 18. This was highlighted by one grazing by the Deh Cho Bridge, which offered a nice photo backdrop.

Speaking of the Deh Cho Bridge, I had more time on the drive south (and less range anxiety) so took in the views.

Fast Chargers Still Missing

At Fort Providence, I once again checked the fast charger. It was powered on and visible from the highway, yet unusable.

A friend of mine’s cousin who was trying to get a Volkswagen ID. Buzz up to Yellowknife, told me he’s been contacting the NWT government. They’re still waiting on pricing contracts before enabling public access. It’s beyond frustrating as this was suppose to be completed last year.

I arrived at Lady Evelyn Falls Campground with 26% and got the 30-amp charger going—but the rate was slow. It became clear I wouldn’t make it to High Level the next day without a long charge, departing around noon.

I tried to test my TT-30 splitter to get a faster charge but couldn’t find two 30-amp plugs close enough. As such, I decided I would have to, once again, detour 80KM to Hay River just to make it to my next charge.

I turned this annoyance around with a hike to the falls and a budget campfire cookout.

Later, just before heading to bed, I stumbled across five 50-amp RV circuits near the campground pads. They weren’t on PlugShare or the campground site—super disappointing but also a lucky break.

I took advantage and moved my car. Plugging in overnight had me at 100% in a few hours.

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Leg Two: Lady Evelyn Falls to Peace River (Approx. 660km)

The next morning, I gave the 30-amp splitter one more try. The RV pads were close enough now, and although the splitter lit up, my Tesla mobile charger did not. Maybe Tesla mobile chargers don’t allow it, or something with phase compatibility. TBD.

Otherwise, it was a fairly uneventful day. I swung by the Enterprise charger again—it was still offline—and paused at Alexandra Falls, which remains one of the more underrated roadside wonders in the north.

I arrived in High Level with just 2% battery left. I had been driving a little faster and wasn’t thinking about the limited Level 2 charging situation. That meant I needed about seven hours at the Best Western Mirage, where I stayed on the way up, which has a working Tesla wall connector.

My plan was to explore on my bike, but the weather didn’t cooperate. Heavy rain limited me to a Starbucks stint where I caught up on work for a few too many hours. I also came across this sick ride which made me want to get a new wrap on my ride 😉

Originally, I had hoped to continue south of Peace River after a quick top-up in Fahler, but due to the delay, I stayed in Peace River. I trickle-charged on a 15-amp exterior outlet at the Chateau Nove hotel and got an extra 12% overnight. Slow—but better than nothing.

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Leg Three: Peace River to Shaw’s Point (Approx. 173km)

The next morning, I noticed a fast charger at the Chevrolet dealership next to my hotel. Someone I met in Fahler on the way up told me about it, but warned it was a bit of a hassle.

Still, I gave it a shot. All it took was a quick chat with the service department. They created a service order and flipped on the charger. Fast, free, and easy. Only downside, you can only use it during business hours.

This meant I could skip Fahler entirely and head straight to High Prairie, where I met up with my brother who had flown in with his private plane. Yes, he actually flew in to join me for a weekend at a friend’s cabin. Pretty cool right?

I stopped at Tim Hortons for coffee where PlugShare showed several L2 chargers. None of them worked. One belonged to Pevy Mart, which I learned had shut down—unfortunate, since they had been ahead of the curve with free EV charging in Alberta, a province that ranks pretty low in EV adoption and friendliness in Canada.

Good thing I didn’t rely on those chargers, because I had debated making the long haul from High Level and leaving the car there overnight instead of staying in Peace River.

We made our way to Shaw’s Point where my friend’s lakeside cabin awaited. Nearby, the local band office in Grouard had several fast chargers, likely for their own EV fleet. Sadly, all were blocked—not charging, just occupied by Lightning F150s. I didn’t bother asking anyone to move them because I knew my friend had a 50-amp outlet at the cabin.

I rolled in with about 27%, turned off Sentry Mode, and settled in for some well-earned downtime—fires, guitars, beers, and beautiful lake views.

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Leg Four: Shaw’s Point to Edmonton (Approx. 359KM)

A funny story here: after a few drinks, I forgot to plug in the car. I fumbled with the outlet at 2AM, waking up my buddy and his family in the process. They got a laugh out of it the next morning. Also funny, my brother got a helicopter ride back to his plane so I didn’t have to backtrack to drop him off.

Left with 80% and made a quick stop at the Flo fast charger in Slave Lake to get up to 90%. Took a peaceful bike ride around the lake town while the car charged. I could’ve topped up in Westlock, but made it all the way to St. Albert without any issues.

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EV Road Trip Recap: Edmonton to Yellowknife and Back

This wasn’t just a road trip. It was a journey through the heart of remote EV road trip planning, and a chance to reconnect with my roots in the Northwest Territories. Along the way, I faced:

• Fires and road closures
• Multiple non-working chargers
• Slow trickle charges in tiny towns

But also:

• Fast charging surprises at dealerships
• 50-amp hidden gems at campgrounds
• Floating music festivals on Yellowknife Bay
• Deep laughs and late-night campfire chats

For those planning a similar trip:

• Always bring EV adapters and extension cords
• Use PlugShare and other EV apps religiously (but expect surprises)
• Budget time for range anxiety recovery
• Have a backup for your backup plan
• Bring camping accessories

Final Thoughts on this Yellowknife to Edmonton EV road trip

This Northern Canada by EV road trip was both one of the hardest and most rewarding adventures I’ve had. From navigating EV charging stations in Northern Alberta to pioneering a route most wouldn’t think possible in an EV, it was a testament to the power of planning—and patience.

Northern Alberta still has a long way to go in matching the charging infrastructure of the rest of the country, let along the NWT which is surprisingly EV-ready. Once Enterprise and Fort Providence get their act together, this route will open up for many more.

Until then, this is one hell of a trip—and one I hope more people will be able to take soon.

Stay tuned for more EV road trip reports, and don’t forget to check out my post on my road trip to the Arctic Ocean adventure which is on deck!

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FAQ: Yellowknife to Edmonton EV Drive

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